


Help I’ve Fallen and I can’t get up…

by PerseusHuntress



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 13:27:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 878
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16833523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerseusHuntress/pseuds/PerseusHuntress





	Help I’ve Fallen and I can’t get up…

“Commander?” the woman spoke raising a perfectly arched eyebrow.

Shit was not paying attention!

“Er, yes, as I was saying Herald, the Inquisition can achieve things no one else could, we are in a unique position” Cullen stammered.

The Herald smiled indulgently, the corner of her full mouth quirking upwards in a crooked smile.

Maker’s breath…

His nerves were shot to hell, Cullen gripped his sword hilt tighter anchoring himself to something solid, something real. Under normal circumstances it was near impossible to unsettle the Commander, between the fall of the Circle Tower, the failed Harrowings and Kirkwall, there wasn’t very much that Cullen hadn’t seen in his short life time.

When he first met her during the charge to the Temple of Sacred Ashes, she was just the prisoner, he was cold and unforgiving toward her, she was suspected to have perpetrated the whole mess after all. But now, now she was cleared of all charges, and besides his battle adrenaline had worn off, he has had a chance to spare her more than just a passing thought. 

She was young, mid-twenties perhaps, a member of Ostwick’s nobility, a fact that should have bothered him more than it did. He had looked over Leliana’s reports whilst the Herald slept after she closed the breach, they were relatively scant in details. Daughter of Bann Trevelyan, middle child of three, she’s made little impression on this world, there were a lot of notes of her adventures in Ostwick noble circles but he skimmed over those seeing them as frivolous and irrelevant. Aside from that there was little detail and the woman remained an unknown entity. He did not like being kept in the dark so he resolved to seek her out and find out more. He needn’t have bothered she came to him.

And that’s where it all went wrong.

For a woman that found herself in a different country, surrounded by strangers and with an extraordinary power over the Breaches in the Fade, she walked with her head held high, confidence followed her wherever she went. As she carefully picked her way to him through the freshly fallen snow he couldn’t help but watch the way her hips swayed with every step. Cullen balked at himself shaking his head to dislodge these unwelcomed thoughts, he continued barking orders at the recruits but his voice sounded feeble to him.

“No one made quite an entrance you did” Cullen spoke studying her for a reaction. The Herald’s face spilt into a radiant smile, making him draw a sharp breath.

Oh no…

Her blue eyes crinkled with that smile, the soft bow of her lips became more pronounced. He transfixed on the tiny moles and freckles that spilt across her delicate skin like stars.

She answered something but it hardly registered, her soft rose hair tumbled into her eyes, he fought the urge to reach out and brush it behind her ear.

Andraste preserve me, what’s happening?!

She looked at him expectantly, and he realised that he forgot to answer her.

“Yes, well quite” he feigned, hoping that whatever she said was amusing enough to warrant an awkward chuckle. During their first War Table meeting she had proven herself to be quick witted and sharp tonged, even making Leliana smile with delight.

The Herald looked at him with vague concern in her eyes. Cullen felt a traitorous blush spread over his face, he tried in vain to marshal his expression.

A runner arrived with missives saving him from his own gracelessness, he glanced at the report, scanning the details. The Herald peaked over his shoulder at the information, moving closer towards him in the process, sending shivers all down his limbs. Her face was inches away from his, he became minutely conscious of his own movement, his hands felt cumbersome and his feet refused to move.

He coughed, making her look up at him, at such close proximity he couldn’t help but notice that her blue eyes were peppered with violet specks, she smiled at him again. Cullen forgot how to breathe.

He begun talking again, his words tumbling out of their own volition, something about the Inquisition, the forces and their goals. It was more solid ground at least. The Herald listened intently, nodding approvingly, sending more loose tendrils of her hair tumbling forward with every movement, that’s when he lost his train of thought again, and there they were now her smiling at him expectantly and Cullen totally lost for words again.

“Forgive me, I doubt you came here for a lecture…” he faltered, brushing the back of his neck with his hand in confusion.

“No, but if you have one prepared I’d love to hear it!” her eyes lit up with mischief, and Cullen couldn’t help but smile broadly at her, he held her gaze a little too long.

“I… uh” he cleared his throat, she was totally unbalancing him, tripping him up on his own words. She shone brilliant in that moment, he couldn’t tear his eyes away from her.

He made weak excuses to her to depart, if he stayed there any longer he would do something rash and stupid.

Cullen frowned to himself as he walked away.

This is going to be an unmitigated disaster.


End file.
